European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2017

The largest gathering of cardiovascular professionals will take place in Barcelona, Spain, as the European Society of Cardiology meets August 26-30, 2017. Scientists and clinicians from around the world will provide scientific and educational sessions covering the entire scope of cardiovascular science. Sign up for our daily e-mail blasts on our registration page, and check back here during the conference for the full coverage.

Digital health, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and precision medicine are the areas where there is the most excitement in innovations for cardiovascular care, said John Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, chief innovation officer at the American College of Cardiology.

There are a number of environmental factors with significant public health impacts that people don't necessarily think of; for instance, products out in the market haven't necesarily been tested for safety, which comsumers should keep in mind, explained Jeanette Stingone, PhD, of Mount Sinai Health System.

The biggest challenges in promoting cardiovascular prevention strategies is motivating people to change a lifetime of poor habits into healthier habits, explained Christi Deaton, PhD, RN, FAHA, FESC, of the University of Cambridge.

The digital transformation of the cardiology field in the coming years will have a huge impact on the delivery of healthcare, said John Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, chief innovation officer at the American College of Cardiology.

The COMPASS trial results could reshape the standard of care for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The effects of air pollution on heart health are well known now, and it can be an issue for people in both urban and rural areas of the United States, explained Jeanette Stingone, PhD, of Mount Sinai Health System.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is entering into novel digital health partnerships to innovate cardiology care and improve cardiovascular health, explained John Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, chief innovation officer at the ACC.

Current drugs for pulmonary hypertension treat 3 pathways, but currently there aren't any new drugs to treat different pathways, although there likely will be some in the future, said Simon Gibbs, MD, Reader in Pulmonary Hypertension at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London.

There is an ongoing debate about how aggressively to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but Steve Nissen, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, argues that studies have shown an aggressive approach to lowering LDL always shows benefits.